When it comes to treating bad breath, soap isn't the answer

SUMMARY: Almost everyone is familiar with the situation, if only from seeing it in movies. A child uses foul language; a mother makes them wash their mouth out with soap. This begs the question, why don't we clean our mouths with soap instead of toothpaste? Can soap treat bad breath?

Almost everyone is familiar with the situation, if only from seeing it in movies. A child uses foul language; a mother makes them wash their mouth out with soap. This begs the question, why don't we clean our mouths with soap instead of toothpaste? Can soap treat bad breath?

The short answers are "it's bad for you," and "no." Here's why:

Although soap removes odors caused by a wide variety of things, it doesn't belong in your mouth for a very simple reason. Most soap is toxic or, at the very least, quite bad for you. Putting it in your mouth, even to knock out the worst halitosis you can imagine, is a very bad idea.

Ingesting even a little bit of soap can cause diarrhea, or worse. Making a child rinse their mouth out with soap - say, as a punishment - is also a no-no. Most states consider such treatment abuse. Not too long ago, Florida Today reported that a couple was arrested for making a small child chew on a bar of soap.

So, regardless of whether a mouth is soiled by bad breath or bad words, a good brushing, followed by a rinse with a specialty breath freshener, always beats using the sudsy stuff.